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...Ask What You Can Do for Seabourn


writer100

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Well, with apologies to JFK, at least some posters think Seabourn is facing a crisis. Some suggest it is an identity crisis. That is, with the addition of l,350 more berths in 2011--compared with the combined 614 on the original triplets--Seabourn can't be the same. Increased size , these folks say, means more passengers and a dilution of the "real" Seabourn to its loyalists. No need to replay that, but it certainly includes service, quality everywhere, clients who appreciate and demand such standards, and a mix of passengers who are, if not "like-minded" not likely to contradict the atmosphere so much appreciated by others. Another group seems to feel that the current economic situation will leave Seabourn with reduced fares, reduced standards, and no way to climb back. Either way, this thread solicits ideas to add new energy to the Seabourn profile and help assure that Seabourn retains most of the characteristics that made it attractive to you in the first place.

I will assume that raising fares will not be first on anyone's lists of suggestions. At any rate, here are three proposals/ ideas to start the ball rolling.Not in priority order. Feel free to emend, discard, be original, creative, scoff, disagree, enthuse. Just like on any other thread.

 

1. Query passengers at final payment time for their interest in being part of a seminar program on Inside TK--the TK standing for professions and careers that might be of interest. Like--pathologist, or political poll taker, or large animal vet, or high-ranking security or police official. There is a certain self-selecting prcess here, because lots of really bright and interesting people hate talking to even quite small groups. Up to Seabourn to determine who qualifies. No fee, but (as tyfh suggested) a really fine bottle of wine to be enjoyed later.

2.Change the frequent passenger rewards. Free laundry seems underwhelming. Might such an award at some point, be dinner in one's cabin or at an mdr table with friends for a special meal prepared just for you? For example, the re-creation of the same menu served at--pick your occasion--royal wedding, visit of a president, etc.

3.Have a crew reward program in which passengers participate, This is beyond tipping. And I don't know how to calibrate it. But, for example, there was a chap in the Colonnade on Legend who made all the difference. He was from Brittany, and he made the operation click. How can you--we--recognize such efforts?

 

Okay. Your turn.

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Well, with apologies to JFK, at least some posters think Seabourn is facing a crisis. Some suggest it is an identity crisis. That is, with the addition of l,350 more berths in 2011--compared with the combined 614 on the original triplets--Seabourn can't be the same. Increased size , these folks say, means more passengers and a dilution of the "real" Seabourn to its loyalists. No need to replay that, but it certainly includes service, quality everywhere, clients who appreciate and demand such standards, and a mix of passengers who are, if not "like-minded" not likely to contradict the atmosphere so much appreciated by others. Another group seems to feel that the current economic situation will leave Seabourn with reduced fares, reduced standards, and no way to climb back. Either way, this thread solicits ideas to add new energy to the Seabourn profile and help assure that Seabourn retains most of the characteristics that made it attractive to you in the first place.

I will assume that raising fares will not be first on anyone's lists of suggestions. At any rate, here are three proposals/ ideas to start the ball rolling.Not in priority order. Feel free to emend, discard, be original, creative, scoff, disagree, enthuse. Just like on any other thread.

 

1. Query passengers at final payment time for their interest in being part of a seminar program on Inside TK--the TK standing for professions and careers that might be of interest. Like--pathologist, or political poll taker, or large animal vet, or high-ranking security or police official. There is a certain self-selecting prcess here, because lots of really bright and interesting people hate talking to even quite small groups. Up to Seabourn to determine who qualifies. No fee, but (as tyfh suggested) a really fine bottle of wine to be enjoyed later.

2.Change the frequent passenger rewards. Free laundry seems underwhelming. Might such an award at some point, be dinner in one's cabin or at an mdr table with friends for a special meal prepared just for you? For example, the re-creation of the same menu served at--pick your occasion--royal wedding, visit of a president, etc.

3.Have a crew reward program in which passengers participate, This is beyond tipping. And I don't know how to calibrate it. But, for example, there was a chap in the Colonnade on Legend who made all the difference. He was from Brittany, and he made the operation click. How can you--we--recognize such efforts?

 

Okay. Your turn.

 

Writer100 - interesting to see if the board moderator considers two separate threads about the same topic is against posting " rules". Only joking!:rolleyes:

 

I will reflect on your interesting challenge and return with a considered response. Unless of course ennui takes hold and I have to rest my brain cell for a while. Its been a long day at the keyboard.:(

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Maybe people just need to keep mentioning Seabourn to their friends, and give them referral coupons when applicable, to help expose more 1st timers to Seabourn.

 

The prices are still high enough (IMHO) to keep away the average cruiser. It keeps me away for now as I can't justify the expense just yet (took seabourn last fall and it was great...it will be hard for my next cruise to measure up but I'm going to try to not compare apples to oranges).

 

If people continue to spread the word, that's kindof all we can do at this point, the rest is in Seabourn's hands.

 

If they are lacking for money though, why do they send us 120398 publications a week? They are very nicely done books/catalogues which probably cost a decent amount to send. They could save by asking club members how often/what areas they'd like to receive information about.

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>"...in being part of a seminar program on Inside TK--the TK standing for professions and careers that might be of interest."

 

When I was in practice I worked with Pfizer and lectured to both professional and lay audiences on ED and ******. I offered my services to Seabourn one rainy cruise, and needless to say....<g>

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Jane, it isn't clear what Seabourn's reaction was. Did they accept your offer? And would I be indiscreet to inquire as to the meaning of the asterisks?

(Just for the record, TK is used as many magazines to indicate To Kum--meaning don't print this; more copy to follow.)

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I will look forward to reading MarianH thoughts. Writer100 and MarianH are extremely eloquent. I will have to draft and redraft to keep up and try not to be intimidated! :)

 

Thank you so much for your kind words.

 

Please dont sweat over drafting/ redrafting. First thoughts are usually the best.

 

Regards

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More than 24 hours and only one substantive response to the challenge:(. Here are some early somewhat garbled thoughts ( too much pinot noir?)

 

Just to recap and check that I am not going off topic, your proposition is an SOS ( Save our Seabourn) with two linked elements viz:

 

How to add new energy to the Seabourn profile/ product

and in so doing

Help keep the Seabourn that afficionados have come to love

 

Obviously Seabourn will be cogniscant of customer feedback through its questionaires. However given the form and structure of the one we recently completed , I do wonder if they are a good vehicle for capturing our views. So, a " left field" idea ( I think that's what you call it in the US) as follows.

 

We CCers ,as an experienced group of interested customers,could offer to host and participate in a focus group of like minds on each Seabourn cruise with the objective of addressing the challenge. Seabourn could be asked to facilitate by providing a venue, sustenance and someone to capture the output and conclusions of the group to feed into Seabourn corporate. In turn this would further help bonding and demonstrate our care and committment to Seabourn. This arrangement could be a nice fit with the usual social interaction of CCers on cruises. But there would still be time for trivia:)

 

It would be extremely interesting to compare the results from each ship, particularly between the sisters and the twins where some have speculated that a different demographic may have different values.

 

Anyhow, as I say - any early thought. Any supporters?

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At any rate, here are three proposals/ ideas to start the ball rolling.Not in priority order. Feel free to emend, discard, be original, creative, scoff, disagree, enthuse. Just like on any other thread.

 

1. Query passengers at final payment time for their interest in being part of a seminar program on Inside TK--the TK standing for professions and careers that might be of interest. Like--pathologist, or political poll taker, or large animal vet, or high-ranking security or police official. There is a certain self-selecting prcess here, because lots of really bright and interesting people hate talking to even quite small groups. Up to Seabourn to determine who qualifies. No fee, but (as tyfh suggested) a really fine bottle of wine to be enjoyed later.

2.Change the frequent passenger rewards. Free laundry seems underwhelming. Might such an award at some point, be dinner in one's cabin or at an mdr table with friends for a special meal prepared just for you? For example, the re-creation of the same menu served at--pick your occasion--royal wedding, visit of a president, etc.

3.Have a crew reward program in which passengers participate, This is beyond tipping. And I don't know how to calibrate it. But, for example, there was a chap in the Colonnade on Legend who made all the difference. He was from Brittany, and he made the operation click. How can you--we--recognize such efforts?

 

Okay. Your turn.

 

Writer100, my earlier post suggests another route to capture proposals/ ideas.

 

May I just comment on the three proposals above as follows.

 

1. I just have a feeling that even if Seabourn was to support this ( doubtful in my view) it would not have wings. However as an alternative Seabourn could invite passengers with particularly interesting professions/careers to "host" tables and arrange to invite guests who would be interested to the table . I won't go into the mechanism to do this but it would not be rocket science. This could be complementary to the existing arrangements for "hosting" tables - whatever they might be:rolleyes:

 

2. Certainly worth exploring ; but the rewards should be meaningful to Seabourn guests. For some guests, the monetary value would not be the attraction, rather the uniqueness of the reward.

 

3. Although this does not seem to me to answer the challenge you set, it is nevertheless an excellent idea. I know that staff receiving a special mention in feedback questionners value it greatly. I understand this in turn can influence promotion. A more structured and formalised way to feedback on staff could add value. And of course contributions to the "staff fund" ( hope I have the title correct) are always appreciated.

 

Thats it for now. Hope this and earlier submissions were helpful.

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It would certainly be interesting to compare the large and small ship experience, and a forum onboard could surely send some interesting info back to Seabourn. It need not take long and I would think most CCers would be willing.

 

We are going to try Sojourn after two wonderful cruises on the Spirit... ok only a novice in Seabourn terms but having sailed other lines I feel I would be able to make a relevant contribution.

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Marianh, I really like SOS. And I think on board focus groups would be interesting for ccers as well as Seabourn.When we were on Odyssey, there were a couple of chaps aboard from a research firm who were holding focus groups with the crew. (Despite my entreaties, thet were not interested, at the time, in expanding their group target.)But the crew research undertaking shows that Seabourn does appreciate how important the crew/pasenger relationship is, and has made some effort to strengthen it.It is crucial, and yet, on reflection, so difficult from SB's point of view, given the length of crew contracts and the presumptive turnover.

It was in recognition of this that I thought some award, or recognition, or something could be engineered to give passengers a way to recognize outstanding performance. To make it work, something beyond a scroll or a picture in the daily on board paper is required. One problem is that a good many crew members remain unseen and unrecognized most of the time--engineering, galley staff, anonymous deckhands. Might those crew members feel alienated if they were excluded from such a program?

On referrals, I agree that they dangle like delicious bait. And it is true that they probably are an enticement. But at $1,000 a day plus airfare and shore excursions and probably a hotel night or two on either end,the $400 credit is more gracious courtesy than deal maker. (Mind you, I am delighted to have it.) Interestingly, the Seabourn program is (according to ccers posting here) far more generous than Silversea.So, competitive advantage to SB.

 

As my wife says,"never short of words, thougfh occasionally short of thoughts." So, give me a moment to digest more of your thoughtful offerings.

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Marianh, the on board seminar concept actually can work. There was a chap on Legend, a non athlete, who had scrimmaged with an American football team, and an American basketball team and attempted to hit against a Hall of Fame pitcher. He gave a talk--highly interactive--one morning. The only announcement was in that morning's on board paper, and some 20 people showed up. The "program" ran about 45 minutes. Perhaps most importantly, it gave those who were there the chance to say in conversation weeks later that they had this experience and it was on Seabourn. And maybe Seabourn is more interesting because of it ? Sort of, only on Seabourn.Whether through hosted tables or seminars, I just think the passengers represent a vein of untapped interest. (Now, your experiences at MI5...)

 

On the frequency rewards for Seabournites, I agree that it i isn't the dollar value of the reward, but its weight in exclusivity. Free laundry just seems a little light. And maybe the kind of dinner that replicates an historical event is too complex and expensive to produce for a very small subset of passengers. But if you did have a fomal night in the Med, you could recreate some Napoleonic dinner with a very special menu. (The Elba memorial.) Pick your historical period, from medieval to contemporary, and there is surely a representative menu. And maybe the chefs would enjoy the challenge. If he is German, he might celebrate the visit of Fredreick the Great to Vienna, or to Paris. Is this the kind of event that Seabourn might add a nominal charge for?

Food comes up on these posts as among the top 2 or 3 reasons to sail, so extending or broadening the kitchen's role may be especially relevant. Cuisine in all its complexity may be one area of appeal than can bridge the divide between old and new Seabournites.

Food for thought? (With apologies.)

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On referrals, I agree that they dangle like delicious bait. the $400 credit is more gracious courtesy than deal maker. (Mind you, I am delighted to have it.)

 

Writer100, who could disagree. However, despite snapping at the bait many times, I have never managed to get hooked. Maybe there is something fishy here in the UK.

 

I would welcome a gracious courtesy. And not because $400 is a dealbreaker nor is it significant in context of overall cost. So why, I hear you ask? Simple, it can only be used on board - sort of Mickey Mouse money:eek:. Accordingly, I would seek to persuade my wife that it should be used to purchase an expensive wine on board that I could not otherwise justfy. Mission impossible? Well no, it worked on a recent Cunard cruise ( not going off topic) . But we did visit the jewellery store as well, so nothing is perfect:(

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Many great thoughts, and I love the SOS. I just think that Seabourn has their "plates on overload" at this particular time with all the new ships, training new personnel, correcting the inevitable problems that come with new ships, etc. and I won't say they don't care, but I think they are in survival mode right now. That is not to say they are going down the tubes, but they are going through a difficult time trying to keep everything that is special about Seabourn and move forward with the big ships. I look forward to once the "big girls" are launched and running smoothly, they can go back to perfecting what they do well. With that said, at this time, you wouldl think they would welcome constructive passenger feedback...again with more than that form they give us at the end of the cruise.

 

I have been reading and enjoying for over an hour, but.....the reason I am sympathetic to Seabourn is I am on overload this summer with planning a huge family reunion in July and a daughter's big wedding in August. I think this forum is my escape. The bad thing is that if I don't get off this immediately I am going to miss my dental appt, see you later!!

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Marianh, the on board seminar concept actually can work. There was a chap on Legend, a non athlete, who had scrimmaged with an American football team, and an American basketball team and attempted to hit against a Hall of Fame pitcher. He gave a talk--highly interactive--one morning. The only announcement was in that morning's on board paper, and some 20 people showed up. The "program" ran about 45 minutes. Perhaps most importantly, it gave those who were there the chance to say in conversation weeks later that they had this experience and it was on Seabourn. And maybe Seabourn is more interesting because of it ? Sort of, only on Seabourn.Whether through hosted tables or seminars, I just think the passengers represent a vein of untapped interest. (Now, your experiences at MI5...)

 

On the frequency rewards for Seabournites, I agree that it i isn't the dollar value of the reward, but its weight in exclusivity. Free laundry just seems a little light. And maybe the kind of dinner that replicates an historical event is too complex and expensive to produce for a very small subset of passengers. But if you did have a fomal night in the Med, you could recreate some Napoleonic dinner with a very special menu. (The Elba memorial.) Pick your historical period, from medieval to contemporary, and there is surely a representative menu. And maybe the chefs would enjoy the challenge. If he is German, he might celebrate the visit of Fredreick the Great to Vienna, or to Paris. Is this the kind of event that Seabourn might add a nominal charge for?

Food comes up on these posts as among the top 2 or 3 reasons to sail, so extending or broadening the kitchen's role may be especially relevant. Cuisine in all its complexity may be one area of appeal than can bridge the divide between old and new Seabournites.

Food for thought? (With apologies.)

 

Excellent, and how interesting that the concept has been tried.

 

All of the points you make would be fertile seedcorn ( to continue the foody theme) for any SOS focus groups.

 

How right you are that passengers are a vein of untapped interest. In fact they are the lifeblood of Seabourn. I do hope that they recognise this. After all, it is in everyone's interest that loyal Seabourners do not haemorrhage away.:eek:

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Interesting to me that basically two people have kept this thread alive. Not meaning any disrespect whatsoever I just think perhaps there's too much time available and too much analysis. We're not trying to fix health care or immigration or the economy here. It's a cruise line trying to do the best it can to stay in business in this difficult economy. And whatever flaws there may be of late it's still one of the best out there. JMO.

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Interesting to me that basically two people have kept this thread alive. Not meaning any disrespect whatsoever I just think perhaps there's too much time available and too much analysis. We're not trying to fix health care or immigration or the economy here. It's a cruise line trying to do the best it can to stay in business in this difficult economy. And whatever flaws there may be of late it's still one of the best out there. JMO.

 

Point taken. I admit to some self indulgence. But I gave my views in good faith in the hope that they could help to make a difference. Yes, Seabourn is one of the best out there. But for how much longer if they do not react positively in a changing world? And listen to their customers.

 

As to having too much time available, you sound just like my wife so you must be right. But I am passionate about Seabourn, so I will not depart these boards for too long.

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I would LOVE to hear about that!

I am the son of a "Spook". My father was OSS, CIA, and then commanded Army Intel in Europe from 1965 to 1969. Long dead ... and my mother just passed away at the age of 94, 2 months ago ... they were both involved in the "Company." In fact knew well Julia Childs when they were in Indo-China in the EARLY 40's. Mom was a flag waiver and would NEVER talk about her life under cover. SO, now that she is no longer with us, we ... my brothers and sisters ... are researching it through the Freedom of Information Act … a long process! They lived in London from 1944 to 1948 as OSS.

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I would LOVE to hear about that!

 

I am the son of a "Spook". My father was OSS, CIA, and then commanded Army Intel in Europe from 1965 to 1969. Long dead ... and my mother just passed away at the age of 94, 2 months ago ... they were both involved in the "Company." In fact knew well Julia Childs when they were in Indo-China in the EARLY 40's. Mom was a flag waiver and would NEVER talk about her life under cover. SO, now that she is no longer with us, we ... my brothers and sisters ... are researching it through the Freedom of Information Act … a long process! They lived in London from 1944 to 1948 as OSS.

 

What a lovely vignette. A perfect example of the rich seam of experience that is buried in the CC Community. Tempting as it is to dig deeper, I fear this would be deemed " off topic" and thus subject to sanction by the board monitor. Furthermore it would not be fair to wripro who seems to consider we have done too much naval gazing. But thankyou nevertheless tyfh for sharing. Over and Out.

 

Regards

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How bizarre that this thread which has tried to take a serious view of the future of Seabourn as we know it ,has received so few contributions or hits. Whereas a separate thread running at the same time which deals with posh frocks and painted toenails has generated so much interest and excitement. Remeniscent of the last hours of the Titanic perhaps. So another of life's mysteries for Sherlock and the Doctor to solve.

 

It's enough to turn one to drink. Cheers.

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How bizarre that this thread which has tried to take a serious view of the future of Seabourn as we know it ,has received so few contributions or hits. Whereas a separate thread running at the same time which deals with posh frocks and painted toenails has generated so much interest and excitement. Remeniscent of the last hours of the Titanic perhaps. So another of life's mysteries for Sherlock and the Doctor to solve.

 

It's enough to turn one to drink. Cheers.

Not sure, but maybe because several suggestions to improve Seabourn actually exist now, and have existed for many many years? (i.e. special meals in the mdr, being able to host parties for crew etc., having passengers give lectures etc..)

 

Host Dan

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